Wayne Rooney is reportedly set to be the highest-paid star of the 2026 series of I'm A Celebrity, but his fee is lower than the sums ITV has previously paid to campmates, including his wife Coleen Rooney.
The former football star is said to have secured a six-figure sum for his upcoming stint in the jungle, which begins on November 16. Rooney is reportedly hoping to impress his four sons with his performance in the show's Bushtucker Trials and is considered one of the programme's biggest signings.
Rooney's Reported Fee
A source told The Sun: 'Wayne Rooney is the biggest name in there, and has landed the biggest pay cheque. He's banked a chunky six-figure sum for his time in the jungle – and ITV were happy to pay to get him on board!'
The 41-year-old will follow in the footsteps of his wife Coleen, who finished as a runner-up in the 2024 series and was reportedly paid £1.5million for her appearance, off the back of the Wagatha Christie trial. ITV is also said to have paid the same sum to Reform leader Nigel Farage for his 2023 appearance, in which he finished third.
Other Confirmed Campmates
Rooney is one of several high-profile names reportedly signed on for the upcoming series, with Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page also said to be on board. They will reportedly be joined by Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, Big Brother co-host AJ Odudu, broadcaster Mariella Frostrup, and comedian Leigh Francis, also known as Keith Lemon.
Francis is someone hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly previously said they were keen to see in the jungle. They said on their Hanging Out podcast: 'If we got Leigh Francis in the jungle… and we had to stand by and watch him do a trial, let's try and make that happen.'
Previous Series Winner
The 2025 series was won by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Angry Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle, with Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson finishing as runner-up. Metro contacted ITV and Wayne Rooney's representative for comment.
I'm A Celebrity begins on November 16 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
